It’s only my second day in Pre-calculus and Professor Welsh gives us a quiz, which I’m highly doubtful about. Afterwards, I take a nice break in the student lounge before heading off to Psychology. As I walk through the halls, I keep an eye out for Jason and a sharper eye out for the Blaire family. I’m trying to avoid them as much as possible.
Soon, I’m transferring to my favorite class. Professor Grant gives me a welcoming smile as I enter the room. One by one, the rest of the students fill in the vacant seats. The last student to enter, Daniel, finds a seat in the back row. Professor Grant shuts the door and walks to the center of the classroom.
"Good afternoon. Welcome to day number two of my class. I have an interesting topic lined up for you guys. Today we will be reviewing...”
The door swings open abruptly, and Kendrick enters with an angry look on his face, again. Professor Grant’s eyes follow him into the class, up the steps, and in a seat two rows down from me.
"Thank you for making it on time, Mr. Blaire.”
The classroom swells with chuckling. The chuckling stops instantly when Kendrick slams his books on the desk. A girl next to him stares in total shock by his rude behavior. A second later, she gets up and move a couple chairs down from him.
“Kendrick, is there a problem?" Professor Grant asks with a burning stare.
The entire class is now completely quiet.
"If you don’t want to be here, then there's the door. This is my class and you will respect me here. Do you understand?"
I can hear Kendrick breathing heavily, although I’m two rows behind him. Suddenly, Kendrick mutters something foul underneath his breath.
“Excuse me?” Professor Grant backfires.
“I said…fuck this class,” he replies loud enough for everyone to hear.
The mood in the classroom has changed in a matter of seconds. The faces of my fellow classmates are now frozen in astonishment.
“You are excused Mr. Blaire,” Professor Grant tells him with a burning leer.
“You’re kicking me out? But I just got here, Professor.”
“And now you are leaving. You will be missed.” Kendrick snickers at Professor Grant’s comeback.
“You’re a funny guy Grant. We’ll see who gets the
last laugh.”
“I will, when I write a letter to the dean.”
Kendrick sucks his teeth.
“Go ahead. I own this school.”
“Not this classroom. Not while I'm here.”
Kendrick begins to laugh as he collects his things. He stands to his feet and makes his way down the steps slowly. A mischievous smile appears on his face as he leaves the classroom. Professor Grant clears his throat and continues.
"If anyone is having personal issues, please keep it at home and don't bring it into my classroom," he stops to trace everyone. "Okay let’s proceed. Today we will be reviewing several other genres that author J. L. Lucas has explored. How many of you have done your homework and read his autobiography?"
Suddenly, the door swings open again and hits the wall with a clamorous sound that echoes throughout the room. Again, the entire class freezes as a tall man, dressed in a white collared shirt and black slacks, marches into the classroom. The look on the man’s face is something between furious and homicidal.
"How dare you talk to my son that way?" he yells at Professor Grant with fiery hatred.
Professor Grant’s face flattens. Then it hits me, this furious man is no other than Cornelius Blaire, Kendrick’s father.
"I can easily get you fired tomorrow. I own your ass!" he shouts at Grant.
Professor Grant’s face twists with disgust.
“Were you eavesdropping?” Grant asks.
“I heard every damn word. I dare you make a fool out of my son again. I promise you that your ass will be fired tomorrow," Cornelius says with his pointer-finger beaming between Professor Grant’s eyes.
Professor Grant swipes Cornelius’s hand away from his face.
“Who do you think you are?” Professor Grant backfires aggressively.
Cornelius immediately steps closer to Professor Grant, so close that their noses are almost touching.
“Cornelius, if you put your finger in my face again, I’m going to break it,” Professor Grant replies.
The grip on my pen suddenly tightens. My eyes are beginning to sting from me unblinking, yet I can’t manage to blink because I’m way too absorbed into their dispute. Nothing seems to be functioning correctly in my body, except for my burning eyes and my pounding heart.
Everyone is completely glued into their seats and not in a good way.
“Come on, William, take a swing,” Cornelius whispers in his face.
My heart is starting to pound even harder than before. The tight grip on my pen is starting to get moist with sweat. Cornelius fist is so tight that it turns red. A moment seems like forever as their homicidal gaze remains intertwined. Professor Grant steps away from Cornelius.
He clears his throat, takes a breather, and regains his cool.
"I’m teaching a class right now. This matter can be discussed at a better time," Professor Grant tells him through his teeth.
Cornelius lifts his chin arrogantly and says...
"I’ve said what I had to say. And I don't make promises I can't keep, William.”
Cornelius rotates towards the door but stops midway. He pauses, only briefly, to look at something over my head. He then leaves the room without shutting the door. I’m relieved that he’s gone because I was holding my breath the entire time. Now, I’m stable enough to breathe again. I then look over my shoulder.
I figured out what he was staring at just before he left the room. He was staring at Daniel. I spot Daniel, in the back row, standing boldly. Then I shift back at Professor Grant, who is frozen in place staring at the open door. The hatred in his eyes is finally cooling down.
I take another look in the back of the class. Daniel lowers slowly into his seat, yet the anger in his face remains fresh. It’s hard to tell if he’s angry or not because that’s his usual expression. The students gaze around at one another with confused looks.
"The Blaires are nut-jobs," a boy whispers to another classmate behind me.
Professor Grant adjusts his suit and sighs. He walks over to the door, closes it, and then positions himself in the middle of the room.
"Sorry about that rude and unnecessary behavior.” he says while pausing again to regain more stability.
Seconds passes by as he remains unresponsive.
“With that said, let us continue,” he finally proceeds.
The hour of class is so awkward. Cornelius is way gone but the tension he carried into the classroom has me feeling uneasy. Small conversations about their argument are already taking place around me. I can’t help but feel highly embarrassed for Professor Grant. His personality has changed dramatically.
I guess the Blaires have an immeasurable talent of bringing out the worst in people. He’s not the typical, fun-loving, Professor Grant that I know. Instead, he’s a lot quieter and gloomier than usual. Soon, I’m gathering my belongings and making my way towards the door. He sees me coming down the steps but he doesn’t smile at me like he usually would.
His face is completely flat. I pause at the doorway and give him a warm smile, hoping he will do the same. He gives me a smile a lot less sincere than mines. I want to say something, something that would make him feel better, but I decide not to. He tries to hide his anger but he has a poor way of hiding it.
I glance back from the hallway and see Daniel approaching him, and then they begin to have another private discussion. I continue down the hallway, hearing students gossiping about the argument among groups.
Before long, I’m heading home. That argument left a huge mark on my mind. I can’t seem to shake off the tension they created. Then I get a feeling it’s more to Glenworth than most people think. And I’m eager to find out what’s re
ally going on...
CHAPTER 15: JASON’S FRIENDS